Coal mining machine



oct. s, 1942. J, F. JGY -2,297,894

-CQAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 27,' 1936 I 2 Sheets-Sheet lOct. 6, 1942. l J. F. JOY 2,297,894

COAL MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 2'7, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Oct. 6, 1942 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COAL MINING MACHINE Joseph F. Joy, Franklin, Pa., assignor to SullivanMachinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Original .applicationMay 27, 1936, Serial No. 82,153, now Patent No. 2,205,012, dated June18, 1940. Divided and this application October 27, 1939, Serial No.301,652

9 Ciaims.

An object of this invention is to provide anl improved coal miningmachine. Another object is to provide `an improved feeding mechanism fora coal mining machine of the flexibly fed, oor cutter type. A furtherobject is to provide an improved mining machine feeding mechanismembodying an improved mounting arrangement for the feeding andcontrolling drums. Yet another object is to `provide an improved drivingmeans for the feeding and controlling drums, embodying improved meansfor releasing the drums from their respective driving means. A furtherobject is to provide an improved mining machine feeding mechanismembodying improved control means for the feeding and controlling drums,the improved control means being associated with the drum mounting meansin an improved manner.Y Still .another object is to provide improveddrum braking means, whereby the drums may rotate in cable-unwindingdirection under the control. of frictional resistance. Other objects andadvantages of the invention Will, however, hereinafter more fullyappear.

This application is a division of my. copending application Serial N-o.82,153, led May 27, 1936, now matured into Patent No. 2,205,012, grantedJune 18, 1940.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for -purposes ofillustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view-of a coal mining machine inv which theillustrative embodiment of the improved feeding mechanism isincorporated, part of the frame being broken away to facilitateillustration.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the mining machine shown in Fig. 1,part of the frame being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section taken substantially on line 3-3of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View in horizontal section taken substantially online 4-4 of Fig. 2, with parts omitted.

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken substantially online 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on line 6 6 ofFig. 5.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the invention is shownembodied in a coal mining machine of the flexibly fed, room and pillar,floor cutter type, although it Will be evidentthat various features ofthe invention may be vincorporated in coal mining machines of variousother types.

The coal mining machine as disclosed herein comprises a machine frame Ihaving a plane bottom surface 2 and adapted to rest upon and slidev inany direction over the mine floor. The machineI frame comprises a frontfeed and cutter frame section 3, a Arear motor frame section 4, a

bottom skidV plate 5, and a detachable top plate B, the frame sections 3and 4 and the plates 5 and 6 `being rigidly united to form a compactunitary structure. Projecting horizontally from and rigidly securedtothe machine frame is an elongated, horizontal, plane cutter bar Ihaving guided on its margin, for circulation thereabout, anendlesscutter chain il. Arranged within the motor frame section 4 is amotor 9 having a horizontal power shaft l5, and keyed to the front endof the motor -power shaft is a bevel gear II (Figs. 1 and 4) meshingwith a large horizontal bevel gear I2. The 'bevel gear I2 is connectibleby a suitable clutch to a Vertical shaft which -drives a chain sprocket,the latter in turn engaging and driving the endless cutter chain 8, inthe manner clearly described in the copending application, Serial No.82,153, mentioned above.

The improved feeding mechanism for the machine comprises a vertical wormI3 driven by the bevel gear VI2 and meshing with a Worm wheel I4, thelatter being keyed to a horizontal shaft I5 extending across the machineabove the bevel gear I2 and suitably journaled within the opposite sidesof the cutter and feed frame section 3. Formed integral with and drivenby the shaft vI5 is a spur gear I5 meshing with a spur gear I'I keyed toa shaft I8, the latter extending Ytransversely of the machine inparallelism with and at therear of the shaft I5. Fixed to and driven bythe shaft I8 is a spur gear I9 meshing, vas shown most clearly in Fig.5, with the teeth of an internal gear 2B formed on a feed drum 2|. Thisdrum is journaled for rotation about a horizontal axis extendingtransversely of the machine on bearing sleeves supported by a stub shaft22, .the latter being arranged parallel with the kshafts I5 and I8 andsecured within a bore 23 formed Within a supporting boss 24 integralwith a vertically swingable frame 25 in the form of a bell crank. Thisframe is pivoted at 25 on a horizontal, transversely extending vshaft2l` arranged parallel with the shafts 'I8 and 22 and herein securedwithin a bore y28 formed Within a boss 2%! integral with the adjacentside of the cutter and feed frame section. The swingable frame 25 isprovided with an operating lever 39 projecting rearwardly along the sideof the machine frame and having a grasping handle 3l. Suitablereleasable locking means is provided for locking the lever in itsdifferent positions. The operator, by vertically swinging the lever 30,may rock the frame 25 about its pivotal mounting on the shaft 21 to movethe internal gear 2i] on the drum into and out of meshing engagementwith the teeth of the spur driving gear I9. Formed integral with theswingable frame 25 is a stop lug 33 engageable with spaced stops 34rigidly secured to the adjacent side of the machine frame, and this stoplug limits the amount of swinging movement of the frame 25.

In accordance also with this invention, keyed to the shaft I5, at theopposite side of the machine from the spur gear I6, is a relativelylarge spur gear 36 meshing, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, with a spurgear 31 keyed to the hub of a control drum 38, the latter arranged atthe opposite side of the machine from the feed drum 2l, as shown inFigs. 1Y and 4. The drum 38 is journaled for rotation on a horizontalaxis extending transversely of the machine on bearings supported by astub shaft 39 secured to a vertically swingable frame 40 in the form ofa bell crank, the latter being pivotally mounted at 4I (Fig. 3) on ahorizontal transverse shaft 42 arranged parallel with the shafts I5l and38 and, like the shaft 21, rigidly secured within the adjacent side ofthe machine frame. The swingable frame 4i! is formed with a lever 43projecting rearwardly along the side of the machine frame and having anoperating handle 44. This lever likewise has suitable releasable meansfor locking the lever in its different positions. This lever, uponswinging thereof, effects rocking of the frame 40 about its pivot tomove the spur gear 31 into and out of meshing engagement with the spurdriving gear 35. This swingable frame 49 is likewise provided with astop lug 56 engageable with spaced stops 41 rigidly fixed to theadjacent side of the machine frame; and these stops limits the amountwhich the frame 4|] can be swung. It will thus be seen that the feedingand controlling drums 2| and 38 may be quickly thrown into engagementwith or disconnected from their drives simply by releasing theleverlocking means and swinging the levers to rock the drum-carryingframes 25 and 40 about their pivotal mountings.

The spur gearing I6, l1, I9 and 2U constitutes low speed driving meansVfor the feed drum 2|, while the spur gears 36, 31 constitute high speeddriving means for the control drum 38. A friction brake is provided forretarding rotation of the control drum 38 when the latter isdisconnected from its driving gear 33, comprising a series of brakediscs 49 (Fig. 4) housed within the drum and keyed to the shaft 39; andthese brake discs are interleaved with a series of brake discs 50 keyedto the controlling drum 38. Mounted centrally within the shaft 39 is ascrew 5| having threaded thereon an adjusting nut 52 having an operatinghandle 53. This nut is provided with a collar 54 engageable with theexterior surface of a pressure plate 55, the latter in turn engaging theinner face of the adjacent drum bearing. The opposite side of the innerbearing race engages a pressure-applying plate 56. When the nut 52 isscrewed inwardly along the screw 5l, the pressure plate 55, the drumbearing, and the plate 56 are moved inwardly, thereby frictionally toconnect the braking plates t0- gether, and as a result rotation of thecontrol drum 38 is frictionally braked. By regulating the application ofthe braking pressure, the control drum may rotate in unwindingdirection, i. e. a direction to unwind the cable, under various degreesof frictional resistance. This enables the Icontrolling cable to bepayed out, from the control drum under the control of frictionalresistance as the feed cable is wound in by the feed drum, thereby tocontrol the angle of the machine with respect to the coal face duringthe cutting operation.

Means is provided for frictionally resisting rotation of the feed drum2i so that when the latter is suddenly released from its drive unduespinning thereof and a resultant undesirable un- Y winding of the feedcable are prevented. This "splnning brake comprises a braking plunger 5Smounted in a sleeve 6I guided within a bore 62 formed Within acylindrical guide 83 secured Within the swingable drum-carrying frame25. Engaging a flange 64 on the sleeve 6| and the inner wall of theguide bore is a coil spring 65 for constantly yieldingly urging thebraking plunger into frictional engagement with the adjacent planesurface 63 of the feed drum 2l.

Wound on the feed drum 2l is a flexible feeding cable 58, while wound onthe controlling drum 38 is a flexible controlling cable 69; and guidingmeans is provided for these cables for guiding the latter during thevarious operations of the machine, in the manner clearly described inthe above-mentioned copending application.

From the foregoing, it is evident that by releasing the lever-lockingmeans and swinging the levers 30 and 53 to rock the drum-carrying frames25 and ell about their respective pivots, the drum gears may be movedout of mesh with their driving gears, thereby to interrupt drum drive.When the feed drum 2| is disconnected from its drive, the spinning brake6D automatically prevents undue spinning of the drum so that undesirableunwinding of the feed cable is prevented. By adjusting the retardingbrake 39, 55 for the controlling drum 38, the latter, when it isdisconnected from its drive, may be permitted to rotate in unwindingdirection under various degrees of frictional resistance, thereby tocontrol unwinding of the controlling cable. By mounting the drums onswingable frames in the manner described, an extremely simple means isafforded for disconnecting the drums from, or connecting the same to,their respective driving means. Other uses and advantages of theimproved feeding mechanism will be clearly apparent to those skilled inthe art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform is shown for purposes of illustration only, and that the inventionmay be modified and embodied in various other forms without departingfrom its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a second gear secured t0 said drum in coaxial relationtherewith and adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an elementproviding a bearing in laterally offset relation to said drum drivinggear, a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movementupon said bearing and having angularly related arms one of which islonger than the other, said longer arm serving as a lever to eectswinging of said bell crank frame about its pivot, a second bearing onsaid bell crank frame whose axis is parallel to the axis of said drumdriving gear and which is laterally offset from and lies outside saidrst mentioned bearing, said drum being journaled upon said secondmentioned bearing on said bell crank frame, said arms being so relatedthat a plane passing throughsaid bearing axes when extended lies betweensaid arms, means associated with said longer lever arm of said bellcrank frame for swinging the latter oppositely into different positionsabout said first mentioned bearing respectively to effect engagement andto effect disengagement of said second mentioned `gear and said drumdriving gear, and associated means for locking said bell crank frame insaid different positions.

2. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a second gear secured to said drum in coaxial relationtherewith and adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an elementproviding a bearing in laterally offset relation to said drum drivinggear, a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movementupon said bearing and having angularly related arms one.

of `which is longer than the other, said longer arm serving as a leverto eect swinging of said bell crank frame about its pivot, a secondbearing on said bell crank frame whose; axis is parallel to the axis ofsaid drum drivinggear` and which is laterally offset from and liesoutsider said rst mentioned bearing, said drum being journaled upon saidsecond mentioned bearing on said bell crank frame, said arms being sorelated that a plane passing through saidbearing axes when extended liesbetween said arms, means associated with said longer lever arm of saidbell crank frame for swinging the latter oppositely into differentpositions about said first mentioned bearing respectively to effectengagement and to effect disengagement of said second mentioned gear andsaid drum driving gear, associated means for locking said bell crankframe in said different positions, and stop means associated with theother arm of said bell crank frame for limiting swing movement of thelatter.

3. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a second gear secured to said drum in coaxial relationtherewith and adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an elementproviding a bearing in laterally offset relation to said drum drivinggear, a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movementupon said bearing and having angularly related arms one of which islonger than the other, said longer arm serving as a lever to eectswinging of said bell crank frame about its pivot, a second bearing onsaid bell crank frame whose axis is parallel to the axis of said drumdriving gear and which is laterally offset from and lies outside saidfirst mentioned bearing, said drum being journaled upon said secondmentioned bearing on said bell crank frame, said arms being so relatedthat a plane passing through said bearing axes when extended liesbetween said arm, means associated with said longer lever arm of saidbell crank frame for swinging the latter oppositely into differentpositions about said first mentioned bearing respectively to effectengagement and to effect disengagement of said second mentioned gear andsaid' drum driving gear, associated means for locking said bell crankframe in said different positions, and a brake on said bell crank frameat a point spaced from the crank pivot and engaging said drum forfrictionally resisting rotation thereof when said gears are moved out ofengagement.

4. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a second gear secured to said drum in coaxial relationtherewith and adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an elementproviding a bearing in laterally offset relation to said drum drivinggear, a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movementupon said bearing and having angularly related arms one of which islonger than the other, said longer arm serving as a lever to effectswinging of said bell crank frame about its pivot, a second bearing onsaid bell crank frame whose axis is parallel to the axis of said drumdriving gear and which is laterally offset from and lies outside saidfirst mentioned bearing, seid drum being journaled upon said secon-dmentioned bearing on said bell crank frame, said being so related that aplane passing through said bearing axes when extended lies between saidarms, means associated with said longer lever arm of said bell crankframe for swinging the latter oppositely into different positions aboutsaid first mentioned bearing respectively to effect engagement and toeffect disengagement of said second mentioned gear and said drum drivinggear, associated means for locking said bell crank frame in saiddifferent positions, and a brake on said bell crank frame at a pointspaced from the crank pivot nearer said shorter arm and engaging saiddrum for frictionally resisting rotation thereof when said gears aremoved out of engagement.

5. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a second gear secured to said drum in coaxial relationthere vith and adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an elementproviding a bearing in laterally offset relation to said drum drivinggear, a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movementupon said bearing and having an elongated arm serving as a lever toeffect swinging of said bell crank frame about its pivot, a secondbearing on said bell crank frame whose axis is parallel to the axis ofsaid drum driving gear and which is laterally offset from and liesoutside said first mentioned bearing, said drum being journaled uponsaid second mentioned bearing on said bell crank frame, means associatedwith said elongated lever arm of said bell crank frame for swinging thelatter oppositely 4into different positions about said first mentionedbearing respectively to eifect engagement and to effect disengagement ofsaid second mentioned gear and said drum driving gear, associated meansfor locking said bell crank frame in said different positions, and meansfor frictionally resisting rotation of said drum when said gears are outof engagement including a brake mounted on said bell crank frame incoaxial relation with said drum.

6. In combination, a cable winding dru'm having a coaxial driven gear,supporting means for said drum including a frame in the form of a bellcrank mounted for pivotal movement and having angularly related arms,said drum being journaled on said bell crank frame on an axis parallelto the pivotal axis of the bell crank frame '7. In combination, a cablewinding drum having a coaxial driven gear, supporting means for saiddrum including a frame in the form of a bell crank mounted for pivotalmovement and having angularly related arms, said drum being journaled onsaid bell crank frame on an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of thebell crank frame and between lines extending from said crank pivot t0the extremities of the arms oi said bell crank frame, a driving gearinto mesh with which said driven gear is movable on swinging of saidbell crank frame about its pivot, means associated with one arm of saidbell crank frame for swinging the latter about its pivot and for lockingsaid bell crank frame in its different positions, means associated withthe other arm of said bell crank frame for limiting swinging movementthereof, and means on said bell crank frame between the arms thereof andassociated with said drum for frictionally controlling rotation of saiddrum.

8. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drumdriving gear, a gear secured to said drum in coaxial relation therewithand adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an element providing abearing in laterally oiset relation to said drum driving gear, a framein the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movement upon saidbearing and having angularly disposed arms, a bearing on said bell crankframe between said arms, the axis of said second mentioned bearing beingparallel to the axis of said drum driving gear and being laterallyoiiset from and lying outside of said iirst mentioned bearing, said drumbeing journaled upon the bearing on said bell crank frame, said armsbeing so related that a plane passing through said bearing axes whenextended lies between said arms, means associated with one of the armsof said bell crank frame for swinging the latter oppositely intodiierent positions about said iirst mentioned bearing respectively toeiect engagement and to effect disengagement of said second mentionedgear Yand said drum driving gear, and means associated with the otherarm of the bell crank frame for limiting swinging motion of said bellcrank frame.

9. In combination, a cable winding drum, a rotatably supported drurndriving gear, a gear secured to said drum in coaxial relation therewithand adapted to mesh with said drum driving gear, an element providing abearing in laterally oiset relation to said drum driving gear, a framein the form of a bell crank mounted for swinging movement upon saidbearing and having angularly disposed arms, a bearing on said bell crankframe between said arms, said second mentioned bearing axis beingparallel to the axis of said drum driving gear and laterally offset fromand lying outside of said rst mentioned bearing, said drum beingjournaled upon the bearing on said bell crank frame, means associatedwith one of the arms oi said bell crank frame for swinging said bellcrank frame oppositely into different positions about said rst mentionedbearing respectively to eiect engagement and to effect disengagement ofsaid second mentioned gear and said drum driving gear, means associatedwith the other arm of the bell crank frame for limiting swinging motionof said bell crank frame, and a brake on said bell crank frame at apoint located at the side of said drum bearing opposite from the crankpivot between the crank arms and engaging said drum for frictionallyresisting rotation of said drum when said gears are moved out of mesh.

JOSEPH F. JOY.

